Feather-washing machine



July 1o, 192s.

1,676,713 F. P. slMMEN FEATHER WASHING MACHINE Filed June 1e, 1926 2 sheets-sheet 2 .71| V .l .I lll III l1 y la f ...I IH N :l m l; .I VII' il. iii-I ll m, w l HM 'N mvg/V703 FRANK n suis?.

armi.

Pafeaaa .hay 1o, 192s. a'

UNrruu sreTS FRANK P. SIMMEN, or SAN MATEO, 'oALIFoRNrA, As'SrGNoN To SUNsn'r f ooMPANY, .oF sAN rRANoIscdcALrronNIA.' v

"1,616,713 PATENT, ortica FEATHER FEATHER-WASHING MACHINE..

Application med June 1e, 192e. seiaiN. I11a/,1054.

' ".My invention relates to improvements in feather washing machines and the like y wherein feathers are moved through avat containing a detergent and agitated 'therein` 1 and to obtain increa-sed efficiency.

Another object is to provide an improved machine having means arranged to maintain a constant water level within a vat and to prevent the clogging of` the outlet by the feathers being washed.

A still further object is to provide an iinproved feather washing machine of simple and eii'cient construction adapted forcontinuous operation.

I Iaccomplish these and other objects by means of the improved device disclosed in spectively of Fig. 1 in the directions indi-4 the drawings forming a part of the present specification -wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughout said specification and drawings 5 and in which, y Y

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved feather washing machine; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are longitudinal sectional views taken upon the lines 2-2 and 3-3 recated.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 is used to designate in general a vat of any suitable construction adapted to contain water or other suitable detergent. An inlet 2 is connected into one end of the vat 1 and an outlet 3 is connected into the opposite end and upon the opposite side of the vat whereby water or other detergent may be caused to flow through the vaty The vat is divided into inlet and outlet Sides by means of longitudinally disposed partitions 4 and G connected at a point spaced from the outlet end of the vat by means of a Vtransverse partition 7 to form a passage across the end of the outlet end of the vat. The outlet is connected into the vat at la point below the intended' water level of the vat andpreferably ydirectly kinto the' bottom of the vat, said out- `let being covered by va suitable'screen cover 8 and connectedtoa goose-neck`9 or other suitable connection arranged outside of the Vvat 1 for maintaining a constant water' level withi'nthe vat.`

Agitating mechanism is mounted within l,

the; inlet side of the vat 1, said mechanism consisting of a plurality of arms 11 secured' upon a longitudinally disposed shaft 12 and providedwithv blades 13 formed upon their outer ends to operate as propellers for indue Aing a forward current in the detergent and for propelling feathers or the like through the vat as hereinaftermore fully eiqalained. The shaft i-s `provided with a suitable pulley 14: arrangedwto be `driven by a suitable belt 15 from a source of power not` shown. The arms 11 arepreferably 'arranged in spiral form along the shaft` 1 l The side of thev vat 1 opposite the agitating mechanism'is provided vwith an inclined .bottom 16 extending upwardly from apoint adjacent the outlet 3 to a point above-the normal water level of the vat. An endless conveyor is mounted adjacent and parallel to the inclinedbo-ttom 16, said conveyor consisting ofa pair of chains 17 mounted over Suitable sprockets v18 mounted upon shafts 19, the upper one of which is arranged .to be driven through a suitable worm gear21 or other suitable driving mechanism connected thereto in any convenient manner. Alpluraly' .90

ity of combs 22 are mounted upon the conveyor and arranged to dip into the detergent above the submerged portion of the bottom 16 and to be moved upwardly past the outwardly extending portion of said bottom. v In operation water or a suitabledetergent solution is circulated through the vat 1, said y water or solution being introduced through the inlet 1, preferably as a constant flow, and allowed to overflow through the, outlet l 3 and goose-neck 9 to maintain anormal water level within the vat at a point slightly below the upper end of the inclined bottom 16. Feathers or other like material to be washed,`are introduced into the inlet side of` 13 lof said arms creating a current combining with the natural flow of water or vsolution and operating to propel the feathers through' the vat.

As the feathers reach a point above the outlet 3 they are engaged byl the combs 22l which are arranged to dip into the'water or solutionnadjacent said outlet and `to move through the water along a path closely par- `allele. to the bottom 16. The feathers, of

course, fioat upon the surface of the water `and as the combs. are moved through the water the .feathers are carried valon Lthe `surface of the water unt-il the outwardy extending .portion of the bottom 16 is reached. Here the combs 22 operate to rake the feathers from the.. surface of the water and onto the slopingl bottom 16, the feathers lbeing thus removed from the water without combs.

exerting anydirect lifting effort and without causing the feathers to cling to'- the The further movement of the combs operates to rake the feathers along the outwardly extending portionof the sloping bottom 16, saidffeathers being moved outwardly over the outer end of lsaid bottom and received ina suitable hopper 24 arrangedadjacent thereto. y

The machine may be kept in continuous operation, feathers being introduced at a I rate .regulated to obtain an efficient opera-l tion. The dirt and refuse washed fronithe feathers is constantly carried away by, the

i 'flow of the detergent` through the vat. Any heavy4 or bulky refuse introduced with. the

feathers collects in the bottom of the vat. To facilitate the removal of such refuse from the vat,`a drain cock 26 mounted in connection with the outlet 3 whereby the vat may be drained periodically to permit the removal of such refuse.

While I haveillustrated and described what Iy now consider Ato' be the preferred rp'ended claim.

embodiment of my invention, the specific details of construction may of course be modified in numerous ways without departing from the spirit of my invention. .VI therefore do not wish to restrict myself to the specific construction disclosed, but

desirev to lavail myself of all modifications Which may fall within the scope of the apy Having thus described my inventionl what I claimas new and desire to secure byLet.-

ters Patent is 'A feather' washing machine comprisinga .Y vatprovided .with an inlet land; an outlet s connected into opposite ends of the vat for circulating a detergent through;` a longitudinally disposed partition in the vat extending fromy the inlet end solution there to a point spaced from the outlet end of the vat, the inlet and outlet being arranged upon opposite sides of said partition; agitating means mounted Within the inlet sideof the vat for agitating feathers introduced thereinto and for propelling said feathers through the detergent; an inclined bottom mounted within the. outlet sideof thevat onto the upwardly, extending'portion of said bottom; and means arranged 'outside of the vat and connected tothe outlet for maintaining a constant water level within the vat said outlet being arranged below the Water level to prevent the clogging thereof by the feathers.

' In witness whereof7 I hereunto set my signature.

' `FRANK P. SIMlVIlLN. 

